1 And|strong="G1161" now|strong="G1161", my|strong="G1722" brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G1161" sisters, be|strong="G2962" filled with|strong="G1722" joy|strong="G5463" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962". It|strong="G0846" is|strong="G2962" no|strong="G3756" trouble|strong="G3636" for|strong="G1722" me|strong="G1473" to|strong="G1722" write|strong="G1125" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G0846" things|strong="G0846" to|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210" again. I|strong="G1473" want to|strong="G1722" be|strong="G2962" sure|strong="G0804" that|strong="G0846" you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3588" prepared.
2 Be|strong="G0991" careful|strong="G0991" of|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" dogs|strong="G2965"—those|strong="G3588" men|strong="G2556" whose work does only harm|strong="G2556". They want to|strong="G0991" cut on|strong="G0991" everyone who|strong="G3588" isn’t circumcised.
3 But|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2249" are|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" ones who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" true circumcision|strong="G4061"—we|strong="G2249" who|strong="G3588" worship|strong="G3000" God|strong="G2316" through|strong="G1722" his|strong="G2532" Spirit|strong="G4151". We|strong="G2249" don’t|strong="G3756" trust|strong="G3982" in|strong="G1722" ourselves|strong="G2249" or|strong="G2532" anything we|strong="G2249" can do|strong="G1510". We|strong="G2249" take|strong="G2744" pride|strong="G2744" only|strong="G3756" in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424".
4 Even|strong="G2532" if|strong="G1487" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G2192" able|strong="G2192" to|strong="G2532" trust|strong="G3982" in|strong="G1722" myself|strong="G1473", still|strong="G3123" I|strong="G1473" don’t do|strong="G2192" it|strong="G2532". If|strong="G1487" anyone|strong="G5100" else|strong="G0243" thinks|strong="G1380" they|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2192" a|strong="G2192" reason to|strong="G2532" trust|strong="G3982" in|strong="G1722" themselves|strong="G1722", they|strong="G2532" should|strong="G5100" know that|strong="G3982" I|strong="G1473" have|strong="G2192" a|strong="G2192" greater|strong="G3123" reason for|strong="G1722" doing so|strong="G2532".
5 I|strong="G2596" was|strong="G5330" circumcised|strong="G4061" on|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2596" eighth|strong="G3637" day|strong="G3637" after|strong="G2596" my|strong="G2596" birth|strong="G1085". I|strong="G2596" am from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2596" people|strong="G1085" of|strong="G1537" Israel|strong="G2474" and|strong="G5330" the|strong="G2596" tribe|strong="G5443" of|strong="G1537" Benjamin|strong="G0958". I|strong="G2596" am a true Jew, and|strong="G5330" so were|strong="G5330" my|strong="G2596" parents. The|strong="G2596" law|strong="G3551" was|strong="G5330" very important to|strong="G2596" me. That|strong="G3551" is|strong="G3551" why I|strong="G2596" became a Pharisee|strong="G5330".
6 I|strong="G1722" was|strong="G3588" so|strong="G1096" eager to|strong="G2596" defend my|strong="G1722" religion that|strong="G1096" I|strong="G1722" persecuted|strong="G1377" the|strong="G3588" church|strong="G1577". And|strong="G1343" no one|strong="G3588" could|strong="G1096" find fault with|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" way|strong="G2596" I|strong="G1722" obeyed the|strong="G3588" Law|strong="G3551" of|strong="G3551" Moses.
7 At|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3778" time all|strong="G3588" these|strong="G3778" things|strong="G3778" were|strong="G1510" important to|strong="G3778" me|strong="G1473". But|strong="G0235" because|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1223" Christ|strong="G5547", I|strong="G1473" decided that|strong="G3778" they|strong="G3778" are|strong="G1510" worth nothing.
8 Not|strong="G1510" only|strong="G2532" these|strong="G3739" things|strong="G3956", but|strong="G0235" now|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1473" think that|strong="G3739" all|strong="G3956" things|strong="G3956" are|strong="G1510" worth nothing|strong="G3956" compared|strong="G1510" with|strong="G1223" the|strong="G3956" greatness of|strong="G1223" knowing|strong="G1108" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424" my|strong="G3956" Lord|strong="G2962". Because|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1223" Christ|strong="G5547", I|strong="G1473" lost all|strong="G3956" these|strong="G3739" things|strong="G3956", and|strong="G2532" now|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1473" know that|strong="G3739" they|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" all|strong="G3956" worthless trash. All|strong="G3956" I|strong="G1473" want now|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" Christ|strong="G5547".
9 I|strong="G2532" want to|strong="G1909" belong|strong="G1537" to|strong="G1909" him|strong="G0846". In|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" I|strong="G2532" am|strong="G2192" right|strong="G1343" with|strong="G1722" God|strong="G2316", but|strong="G0235" my|strong="G1699" being|strong="G2192" right|strong="G1343" does|strong="G2192" not|strong="G3361" come|strong="G1537" from|strong="G1537" following|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551". It|strong="G0846" comes|strong="G2532" from|strong="G1537" God|strong="G2316" through|strong="G1223" faith|strong="G4102". God|strong="G2316" uses my|strong="G1699" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" to|strong="G1909" make|strong="G3361" me|strong="G2192" right|strong="G1343" with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G0846".
10 All|strong="G3588" I|strong="G2532" want is|strong="G3588" to|strong="G2532" know|strong="G1097" Christ|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" power|strong="G1411" that|strong="G1097" raised him|strong="G0846" from|strong="G2532" death|strong="G2288". I|strong="G2532" want to|strong="G2532" share|strong="G2842" in|strong="G2532" his|strong="G0846" sufferings|strong="G3804" and|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" like|strong="G0846" him|strong="G0846" even|strong="G2532" in|strong="G2532" his|strong="G0846" death|strong="G2288".
11 Then there is|strong="G3588" hope that|strong="G1487" I|strong="G1487" myself will|strong="G3498" somehow|strong="G1513" be raised from|strong="G1537" death|strong="G3498".
12 I|strong="G3739" don’t|strong="G3756" mean that|strong="G3754" I|strong="G3739" am|strong="G2532" exactly what|strong="G3739" God wants me|strong="G1909" to|strong="G1909" be|strong="G2532". I|strong="G3739" have|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3756" yet|strong="G2532" reached that|strong="G3754" goal|strong="G5048". But|strong="G1161" I|strong="G3739" continue|strong="G2532" trying to|strong="G1909" reach|strong="G5048" it|strong="G1161" and|strong="G2532" make|strong="G5048" it|strong="G1161" mine. That’s what|strong="G3739" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424" wants me|strong="G1909" to|strong="G1909" do|strong="G2983". It|strong="G1161" is|strong="G3739" the|strong="G2532" reason he|strong="G2532" made|strong="G5048" me|strong="G1909" his|strong="G2983".
13 Brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G1161" sisters, I|strong="G1473" know that|strong="G1161" I|strong="G1473" still|strong="G3768" have|strong="G1473" a|strong="G1520" long way to|strong="G0080" go. But|strong="G1161" there|strong="G1161" is|strong="G0080" one|strong="G1520" thing|strong="G1520" I|strong="G1473" do|strong="G1950": I|strong="G1473" forget|strong="G1950" what|strong="G1161" is|strong="G0080" in|strong="G0080" the|strong="G1161" past and|strong="G1161" try as|strong="G3049" hard as|strong="G3049" I|strong="G1473" can to|strong="G0080" reach the|strong="G1161" goal before|strong="G1715" me|strong="G1473".
14 I|strong="G1161" keep running hard toward|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" finish line to|strong="G1519" get the|strong="G3588" prize|strong="G1017" that|strong="G2316" is|strong="G2316" mine because|strong="G1722" God|strong="G2316" has|strong="G2316" called me|strong="G3694" through|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424" to|strong="G1519" life up|strong="G1519" there|strong="G1722" in|strong="G1722" heaven.
15 All|strong="G3745" of|strong="G2316" us who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2532" grown to|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" spiritually mature|strong="G5046" should|strong="G5100" think|strong="G5426" this|strong="G3778" way|strong="G5100" too|strong="G2532". And|strong="G2532" if|strong="G1487" there is|strong="G2316" any|strong="G5100" of|strong="G2316" this|strong="G3778" that|strong="G3778" you|strong="G5210" don’t agree|strong="G5426" with|strong="G2316", God|strong="G2316" will|strong="G2316" make it|strong="G3778" clear to|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210".
16 But|strong="G4133" we|strong="G3739" should continue following the|strong="G3588" truth we|strong="G3739" already have|strong="G0846".
17 Brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G2532" sisters, join together|strong="G2532" in|strong="G2532" following|strong="G4831" my|strong="G2192" example|strong="G4831". Also|strong="G2532", learn by|strong="G2532" watching those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" living|strong="G2192" the|strong="G3588" way|strong="G3779" we|strong="G2249" showed you|strong="G3779".
18 There|strong="G1161" are|strong="G3739" many|strong="G4183" who|strong="G3739" live|strong="G4043" like enemies|strong="G2190" of|strong="G3004" the|strong="G3588" cross|strong="G4716" of|strong="G3004" Christ|strong="G5547". I|strong="G3739" have|strong="G2532" often|strong="G4178" told|strong="G3004" you|strong="G5210" about|strong="G3588" them|strong="G3739". And|strong="G2532" it|strong="G1161" makes me|strong="G3004" cry to|strong="G3004" tell|strong="G3004" you|strong="G5210" about|strong="G3588" them|strong="G3739" now|strong="G1161".
19 The|strong="G3588" way|strong="G1722" they|strong="G0846" live|strong="G5426" is|strong="G2316" leading them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2532" destruction|strong="G0684". They|strong="G0846" have|strong="G2532" replaced God|strong="G2316" with|strong="G1722" their|strong="G0846" own|strong="G0846" desires. They|strong="G0846" do|strong="G2532" shameful|strong="G0152" things|strong="G3739", and|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3739" proud of|strong="G2316" what|strong="G3739" they|strong="G0846" do|strong="G2532". They|strong="G0846" think|strong="G5426" only|strong="G2532" about|strong="G1722" earthly|strong="G1919" things|strong="G3739".
20 But|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" government that|strong="G3739" rules us|strong="G1537" is|strong="G3739" in|strong="G1722" heaven|strong="G3772". We|strong="G2249" are|strong="G3739" waiting|strong="G0553" for|strong="G1063" our|strong="G2424" Savior|strong="G4990", the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547", to|strong="G2532" come|strong="G1537" from|strong="G1537" there|strong="G1722".
21 He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" change our|strong="G2532" humble|strong="G5014" bodies|strong="G4983" and|strong="G2532" make them|strong="G0846" like|strong="G2596" his|strong="G0846" own|strong="G1438" glorious|strong="G1391" body|strong="G4983". Christ|strong="G0846" can|strong="G1410" do|strong="G1410" this|strong="G3588" by|strong="G2596" his|strong="G0846" power|strong="G1410", with|strong="G2596" which|strong="G3739" he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3739" able|strong="G1410" to|strong="G1410" rule everything|strong="G3956".